Peach Constellation by Fauchon

Let’s take an intergalactic journey with Fauchon’s cleverly named Fruit Fiction summer collection, created by the pastry chef Patrick Pailler. A limited range of space-inspired cakes is offered in Fauchon’s boutique. As we are drawn to pastries which tickle our taste buds and our imagination in equal measure, we gravitate to the Constellation Pêche. We’re in for a breathtaking journey.

This cake is composed of a decorative disc made of white chocolate, and a peach-shaped shell, also made of white chocolate, covered in a velvety orange coating. Inside the shell hides a peach bavaroise cream, a vanilla sponge cake, and a white peach compote inlay. All of this rests on a cookie composed of short crust crumbs held together by a sweet syrup.

The Constellation Pêche by Fauchon has a diameter of 90 mm including the decorative ring and 55 mm without the ring, and a height of 46 mm. The specimen we purchased weights 91 grams and costs 10 euros.

The dessert is devoid of any particular smell which might give away its composition, apart from that of white chocolate. The latter has an odd taste in the decorative ring, possibly because of the layer of coloring which covers it, but tastes very good in the peach-shaped shell. This shell, while quite thin, is nevertheless difficult to break without crushing its filling. Perhaps a technical limitation which is necessary for this dessert to retain its beautiful shape? Inside the shell, we discover a light, frothy bavaroise cream, only lightly sweet, and with a gentle but instantly recognizable peach flavor. We note with appreciation the moderation with which the cream is allocated relative to the dessert’s other components, as well as the uniform thickness with which it lines the interior of the spherical shell and which points to a meticulous execution. As for the vanilla sponge cake, it appears to be soaked in syrup, and is sufficiently moist to create a smooth texture transition. At the heart of the sphere, we reach the white peach compote which turns out to be slightly sweeter than the bavaroise and distinctively more acidic, and exudes a frank, authentic peach flavor. Its boldness offers a pleasant contrast to the mellowness of the bavaroise, and brings dynamism to the whole dessert. It has the finely granular texture typical of compotes. Finally, we are pleasantly surprised by the cookie base made of shortcrust crumbs, which appear to be held together by a sweet syrup. The cookie is endowed with a pleasant crispy texture, and its flavor is somewhat reminiscent of some middle-eastern pastries. This marks a lovely change from a conventional shortcrust base.

VERDICT

White chocolate is somewhat too present in this dessert, yet one is inclined to tolerate this over-use given it is done not just in the name of taste, but also for the sake of the dessert’s concept. Constellation Pêche by Fauchon takes us on a sensory journey in which we discover a whole play of textures and fruity flavors, faithful to those announced in its name. Given that it is part of a range of pastries which will disappear after this summer, we can only urge you to try it for yourself!